Field
The present disclosure relates generally to positioning systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to positioning systems for manufacturing equipment. Yet more specifically, the present disclosure relates to a wheel assembly and wedge jack for positioning mobile manufacturing tools in a manufacturing environment.
Background
A manufacturing environment may include manufacturing tools that are automated. It may be desirable to move a height of a manufacturing tool. To move the height of the manufacturing tool, the base of the manufacturing tool may be moved relative to the manufacturing floor in a manufacturing environment.
The base of the manufacturing tool may be moved using jack systems. Conventional jack systems may be undesirably tall. Conventional jack systems may be difficult to integrate into the design of a tool lift or stabilization system. Considerable time may be expended designing the tool lift or stabilization system for each tool. Further, considerable time may be expended designing a tool lift or stabilization system for additional functionalities for a tool.
Sometimes a workpiece may be moved relative to manufacturing tools and the manufacturing floor in the manufacturing environment. Sometimes manufacturing tools may be moved relative to the manufacturing floor in the manufacturing environment. When manufacturing tools move within the manufacturing environment, they may be referred to as mobile manufacturing tools.
Mobile manufacturing tools may have wheels that may move the mobile manufacturing tool in a plurality of directions. These wheels may be referred to as omni-directional wheels. Some conventional examples of omni-directional wheels may include holonomic wheels, omni wheels, or mecanum wheels. However, conventional omni-directional wheels may have an undesirable height. Further, conventional omni-directional wheels may have undesirable surface loading. High surface loading can cause damage to the surface that it rolls across. Additionally, the rollers of conventional omni-directional wheels are contoured, which may cause building conventional omni-directional wheels to be undesirably complex. Further, wheel frames for conventional omni-directional wheels may require a 5 axis milling machine to construct.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that take into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as other possible issues. Specifically, one issue is to find a method and apparatus for changing the height of a manufacturing tool that may be integrated into a manufacturing tool base. Further, another issue is to find a method and apparatus for moving a mobile manufacturing tool in a plurality of directions.